On the 23 May 2026 in Kenema East of Sierra Leone, First lady of the Republic of Sierra Leone has publicly defended Soweis (traditional women who conduct Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)), and assured them of her full backing and support in carrying out the practice. She made this statement at a pre-initiation public gathering in Kenema city, and these comments are detrimental to victims and anti-FGM activists in Sierra Leone.
Activists are now scared for their safety in criticizing the practice, because this practice has been perceived as part of the culture in many communities, and the First Lady’s backing will embolden the Soweis to target them as a result of the influence and power she wields in the country. Mrs Fatima Bio even went on her Facebook page naming some of the campaigners, thereby putting their safety and that of their families at risk, after they petitioned against her invitation to speak at an event on women’s rights at the University of Cambridge, an irony comparing her FGM stance. Campaign for Good Governance (CGG) discovered anti-FGM campaigners are now worried and this will force them into self-censorship and distort their work, which is further contributing to clouding the enabling environment.